Conveying mechanism



Oct. 7, 1941. F. M. CARROLL CONVEYING MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 26, 1957 12 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. FRED M. CHRHOLL BY I ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 7, 1941.

F. M. CARROLL CONVEYING MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 26, 1937 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

FRED M. 64RB0LL A TTURNEYS.

F. M. CARROLL Oct. 7, 1941.

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IN V EN TOR.

' A TTORNEYS.

Oct. 7, 1941- F. M. CARROLL CONVEYING MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 26, 1937 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 I I v FIG.4. 4,

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INVENTOR.

FRED M. CARROLL A TTORNEYS.

V -vvllvu Oct. 7, 1941- F, M. CARROLL CONVEYING MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 26, 1957 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG. 10.

FIG. 9.

INVENTOR. FRED M. CARROLL ATTORNEYS.

no! yuu r: H) 5 .1-: u'z suu 1941- F. M. CARROLL 2,258,109

CONVEYING MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 26, 1937 12 Sheets-Sheet 7 FIG. 1 I mmvm FRED M. CARROLL ATTORNEYS.

F. M. CARROLL CONVEYING MECHANISM A TTORNEYS.

1941- F. M. CARROLL CONVEYING MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 26, 1937 12 Sheets-Sheet l0 mavnuunmmwm l/ll/ FIG. 18.

JNVENfOR. gnEDMcAR ozL MTTORNEYS.

Oct. 7, 1941. CARROLL 2,258,109

CONVEYING MECHANISM.

Original Filed Jan. 26, 1937 12 Sheets-Sheet 11.

MUM, luvlvlvuuv hi Oct. 7, 1 941. CARRQLL I 2,258,109

CONVEYING MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 26, 1937 12 Sheets-Sheet 12 FIG. 24.

/ INVENTORY CONTROL auxzzn W 133333 S ii- IIGU P so V V/ 7 9 JIM prime I a camvrzm M46 U I INVENTOR. FRED M. CARROLL A TTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 7, 1941 2,253,109 CONVEYING MECHANISM Fred M. Carroll, Binghamton, N. Y., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application January 26, 1937, Serial No. 122,360. Divided and this application May 3,

1938, Serial No. 205,721

This case relates to a machine for operating 34 Claims.

on a web to produce printed record cards therefrom, and is a division of my application serial No. 122,360, filed January 26, 1937.

The machine operates on a blank continuous strip of material; 1. e., on the web, to print record forms thereon which are cut apart to form individual cards, each with a printed card form. The particular record card produced is known as a tabulating card which in subsequent use is punched to control automatic bookkeeping or accounting machines.

It is contemplated broadly, to provide novel means for handling material, particularly material in continuous movement, and, further, to handle individual articles or lengths produced from such material. It is also contemplated to provide novel stacking means, a novel conveyor, particularly one for individually carrying articles and a novel means for transferring an article from an operating means to the conveyor.

More specifically, an object is to provide novel means for handling a web and cards produced from the web.

Further, an object is to provide novel means for withdrawing the cards from card-forming means.

A further object is to provide novel means for transferring the cards from the card forming means to a conveyor.

Another object is to provide novel means for receiving the cards from the conveyor.

Still another object is to provide novel card stacking means.

It is also an object to provide a novel card conveyor.

It is still another object to provide a conveyor for holding cards or forms, just printed on, out of contact with each other to enable the ink to dry while the forms are being conveyed.

Objects also are to provide novel means for interrupting feeding of the web and cards upon detecting jamming of the web, for interrupting operation of the feeding means when the supply roll is depleted, or when inserting a new supply roll, or when the web exceeds a permissible thickness.

Further objects of the instant invention reside in any novel feature of construction or operation or novel combination of parts present in the embodiment of the invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings, whether within or without the scope of the appended claims and irrespective of other specific statements as to the scope ofthe invention contained herein.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a front View, partly sectioned and with parts removed or broken away to show normally concealed parts;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, showing the drive gears;

Fig. 4"is a detail front view of the cutters, web and card guides, and intermediate card delivers rippers;

Fig. 5 is a section on lines 5-5 of Fig; 4, showing the web -cutters coacting to cut a card;

Fig. 6 is a section on lines 6-8 of Fig. 4, including the cutters at a later stage of operation after the card has been cut apart from the web:

Fig. 7 is similar to Fig, 6 showing the card fully inserted in position to be gripped by a clip on the conveying drum.

Fig. '8 is a section on lines '8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the intermediate card gripper and delivery mechanism Fig. 10 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of the upper right corner of Fig. 1.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of the upper left portion of Fig. i;

Fig. 12 is a detail view taken as indicated by arrows l2-l2 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a sectional View of part of Fig. 11;

Fig. 14 is a plan view of the card stacker table and associated parts;

Fig. 15 is a detail sectional view of the stacker table actuating and stopping mechanism;

Fig..l6 is a sectional, plan, view of the card counting control;

Fig. 17 is a detail vertical section of part of the stacker table and associated parts;

Fig. 18 is a detail view of part of the stacker table positioning means;

Fig. 19 is a detail, front view or the drive for the stacker table actuating means and for the guide plate for guiding an edge of the cards into a stacker pocket;

Fig. 24 shows a card produced by the machine;

and

Fig. 25 is the circuit diagram.

Referring to Figs. 1- and- 2, the supply roll to of blank card material Q is carried by a two-part spool ll located on a shaft l2 fixed to a leg of the frame. The spool II is located between friction washers I4 and I 5, the former encircling the neck of a collar I8 removably secured to the outer end of the shaft I2 adjacent the spool, and the washer I encircling the neck of a collar I'I keyed to shaft I2. Surrounding shaft I2 and engaging the side of collar I1 opposite friction washer I5 is the hub of a lever I8, the hub having an internally threaded nut portion I9 coacting with the threaded portion of shaft I2. The outer end of lever I3 carries a guide roller 22 for the Web of material C coming off the supply roll I0. The distribution of weight of the arms of lever I8, added to the weight of roller 22, is such as to impart a tendency to the lever to swing clockwise (Fig. 1). Accordingly, roller 22 would drop unless supported by the web looped around the bottom of the roller. The roller thus exerts force on the web C to maintain it under tension. As long as the web is feeding properly off the roll II], it will act on roller 22 to support the roller 22 and lever I8 in upper position, limited by engagement of the lever with a fixed stud 23. In the upper position of lever IS, the spool I I is free to rotate between friction washers I4 and I5. When the web stops feeding from the supply roll or is cut off above the roller 22 in a manner to release the tension of the web on roller 22, then lever I8 drops and by the coaction of its nut portion I9 with threaded portion 20 of shaft I2, the hub of the lever is moved towards spool II, thereby compressing the spool between washers I4 and I 5, which thereby act to brake the spool and stop rotation of the supply roll I0 due to momentum.

The web of material C is led from roll Illover a guide roller 24 journaled by an arm 25 which is swiveled to a part of the frame to tilt laterally or sidewise. The axis of lateral movement of guide roller 24 is substantially in line with the top of the roller, and consequently with the direction of feed of the web as it leaves the guide roller. Thus, the top of the roller will have substantially no lateral tilting movement, so that the web will be directed thereby in a predetermined, constant, path. The rest of the roller below the top is laterally tiltable to follow the :side weave of the web as it comes off the supply roll, while the top of the roller is effective to direct the Web in a straight, predetermined path. The action of roller 24 may be clear if it :be considered that the roller is always tilted in the direction which the web takes as it leaves the supply roll II).

From roller 24, the web is threaded through the horizontally extending slot of a plate 21 formed on the upper arm of a lever 28 (see Figs. '1 and 3). The lower end of lever 28 is connected to a link 29 which has a pin and slot connection with a rocker arm 30 rigidly and dependently carried by its pivot Also fixed to pivot 30 is a-depending arm 3i, pivotally connected to a horizontally movable bar 32, which carries an insulating block 32' connected to a spring 33. Spring 33 normally urges bar 32 to the right (Fig. 3) to withdraw block 32' from a spring blade 34' carrying one of the coacting points of a switch '34. When bar 32 is permitted to move to the right under the influence of spring 33, then contacts 34 are enabled to close for conditioning the machine for operation. When bar 32 is moved to the left, into the position shown in Fig. 3, then block 32' acts on spring blade 34' to open the switch 34, interrupting machine operation.

Under several conditions, bar 32 is moved to the left to open switch 34. In Fig. 3, 'bar 32 has web-confining side flanges been moved to the left by means of the camming engagement between the rounded end of an arm 35 and a stud 36 carried by arm 3|. Arm 35 is in this position when a supply roll I0 is being inserted, as will be explained later.

When the machine is in operation, bar 32 and arms 30 and 3! are further to the right than shown in Fig. 3, and the pin and slot connection between link 29 and arm 30 is operatively engaged, so that movement of the link to the left will rock arm 30 clockwise. When arm 33 is rocked clockwise, its pivot 30' and arm 3| also rock clockwise, causing bar 32 to move to the left, so that block 32 opens contacts 34 to stop machine operation. Link 29 is moved to the left to effect opening of switch 34 in above manner when lever 28 rocks clockwise. This happens if the web threaded through the slot in plate 21 of lever 28 is too thick to pass through the slot freely. If the web is of proper thickness, it passes through the slot freely and does not cause movement of lever 28. When the web is too thick, it rocks lever 28 clockwise to cause switch 34 to open and stop operation of the machine. Slotted plate 21 is thus a thickness gage for the web or a thickness detector to cause the machine to stop if the web exceeds'the maximum permissible thickness.

From the thickness gage, the web proceeds over a guide roller 31, around previously mentioned web-tensioning roller 22, and around guide rollers 31a and 31b. From roller 3117, the web is passed between the bottom of a roll 38 and the top of a plate 39 (Figs. v1 and 2) tangentially disposed -relative 'to roller 38. The web passes between roller 38 and plate 39, then proceeds upwardly along a convex guide plate 46, having side flanges 46 to engage the sides of the web and prevent lateral movement of the web. The web proceeds along curved, flanged, guide plate 46, past a knife blade 12 (Fig. 1), but without touching the latter, and into the grip of feed rollers I3. The curve of the web against guide plate 46 stiifens it sidewise or transversely so that pressure exerted by the sides of the Web against the 46' of plate 46 will not tend to bend or crimp the web vertically, The flanges thus engage the opposite sides of the web to guide it properly in its upward travel.

The feed rollers 13 feed the web upwardly between a type roller 7-4 and a platen roller 15 which constitute a printing couple. Ink is supplied to type roller 74 by an inking roll 16 which is part of an inking unit K (Fig. 1), similar to the inking unit disclosed in Patent No. 1,563,014. As the web passes through the printing couple, successive duplicate impressions of card forms are made on a face ofthe web. After leaving th printing means, the web passes between a pair of plates 81 (see Figs. 1, 2, 7 and 21) rigidly carried by the furcations 38 .of a member 89. Member 89 is mounted, intermediate its length, to the frame for universal rocking movement. At the end opposite plates 8.1, member 89 has fixed to it a piece of insulation 98 which has point bearing engagement with one end of a thin springy rod 92 of metal which at the other end is rigidly set in a fixed, metal, block 93. Block 93 is fixed relative 'to but insulated from a surrounding metal sleeve 94, which is insulated from but rigidly fastened to the frame. Near its connection to member '89, rod 92 carries a knurled, metal, disk 95. Block 93 is connected to a conducting wire 96 while sleeve 94 is connected to another conducting wire 91. So long as the web passes freely between plates 8'1, the spring rod 92 maintains a central, truly horizontal, position with its disk 95 free of sleeve 94. Should the web, after passing the printing means, jam, or be kinked, or be bent out of its plane of feed, the web will not move freely between plates 81 but will press against one or the other plate or against both plates to rock member 89 against resistance of spring rod 92. As member 89 rocks in any direction, it flexes rod 92, causing the disk 95 thereof to engage the sleeve 94. This engagement conductively connects sleeve 94 to block 93 to bridge wires 96 and 91 which are in a circuit, to be traced later, for stopping the machine. As the machine is being stopped, the knife blade 12 (Fig. 1) is operated to cut off the material below the feed rollers I3, thereby preventing any possibility of the web, before its feed has been effectively stopped, from increasing the jam against jam detecting plates 81 and from gathering in folds to jam between the feeding and the printing rollers, conditions which might cause injury to the rollers and to their supporting spindles.

The plates 31 and the means connected thereto thus comprise a jam or kink detecting mechanism to stop the machine and cause the cutting off of the material below the feeding rollers, in the event a kink, jam, or bend in the web is detected above the printing means.

Feed rollers I3 have now fed the web past the printing means and past the jam detector. The feed rollers continue to feed the web, after leaving the jam detector between a pair of rotating and coacting cutter devices. One of these cutter devices comprises a shear holder sleeve I fixed to a spindle IOI and rigidly carrying a shear blade I02 (see Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and '7). The coacting cutter device includes an integral member comprising end flanges or collars I03a snugly embracing a spindle I04 and fast to the spindle. Integrally connecting the end flanges I03a is a bridge piece l03b concavely curved concentrically with but radially distant from spindle I04. Confined between collars I03a and extending along the length of bridge piece M31) is a sleeve I05 rotatably embracing spindle I04. Sleeve I05 is prevented by engagement of its ends with the confining collars I030. from moving axially along spindle I04, but the sleeve may rock to a limited extent relative to the spindle. Sleeve I05 rigidly carries at one side a shear blade I06 for coacting with blade I02 to shear the web. At the opposite side, collar I05 is formed with a tail I01 projecting above the rear, flat, surface of bridge piece I031). Between the latter and tail I01 is a spring I03. The spring I08 urges collar I05 clockwise (as viewed in Figs. 5 and 6) until the bottom of shear blade I06 engages the top of a screw I09 adjustably set in bridge piece I03b.

Spindles WI and I04 of the coacting cutter devices are parallel to each other and to the web, but inclined, as may be understood from Figs. 2, 3, 4 to the direction of feed of the web. Blade I02 is disposed at an angle to its holder and substantially at right angles to the direction of web feed. Blade I06 is disposed along a line inclined to the horizontal and divergent from the incline of its holder I05 so that it is slightly more inclined to its holder than blade I02 to its holder. Each blade is thus wrapped around its holder in the manner of a helix. The upper cutting face (as viewed in Fig. 5) of blade I02 is ground spiral so as to define a line exactly at right angles to the length of the web during rotation of its holder I00 and during uninterrupted feed of the web. Blade I06 is ground flat along its lower surface to act as a die or abutment against which blade I02 shears the web. When the corresponding facing points of the coacting blades I02 and I08 reach the line of tangency of the circles of holders I00 and I03a, then these facing points are in engagement to cut the web. The different corresponding points of blades I02 and I06 from right to left (Fig. 4) along the lengths of the blades reach the line of tangency successively during rotation of their holders. As the holders rotate, the blades travel at the same speed as the web is feeding, and the right hand ends of the blades meet first and start cutting the web at the right hand side. Then, as the shear holders rotate and the web feeds, the blades wipe each other progressively from right to left and shear the web progressively along a straight line from right to left as though by a pair of scissors blades. Due to the slight difference in angularity of the blades I02 and I06 there is a true point contact between the blades as they wipe each other and due to this difference in angularity of the blades and to the blade I06 overlapping the blade I02, the blade I02 during the cutting operation lifts blade I06 against the resistance of spring I08. This insures a positive engagement of the blades at every point of their line of contact with each other and enables blade I02 to determine the line of cut across the web to be at exactly right angles to the length of the web.

In above manner, while the web is feeding upwardly continuously, the blades I02 and I06 cut the web along a straight line at right angles to the direction of feed of the web and to the length of the web. The blades are timed to cut the web at intervals such as to separate the successive impressions of duplicate card forms from each other. The portion of the web above the cutter and which has just been severed along its bottom edge from the rest of the web is now a completed, printed. individual tabulating card T.

At the completion of the cutting operation, and as may be understood from Figs. 5 and 6, the card just formed is no longer under the influence of the feeding rollers I3 or the feeding means below the cutting devices. The web below the last-formed card, however, is being fed positively by the feeding rollers 13 and the upper edge of the web, just formed by the cutting operation is now beginning to move above the cutter blades which are at the same time moving apart and out of cutting coa'ction (see Fig. 6). The overlap of the cutting blades results, to some extent, during the cutting operation in blade I06 forcing the lower part of the card being formed to the right (Figs. 5 and 6) and out of the plane of the web below.

Thus, at the end of the cutting operation, the lower edge of the card is above and resting on a portion of the blade I02 and the card is moving upwardly due to its own momentum and due to its being fed upwardly by rotation of the latter blade. As the latter blade is also moving to the right (Fig. 6), it is displacing the card to the right at the same time as the card is moving up. The upper edge of the web is beginning to move past the blades but is not in the same plane as the card above. Hence, the web may move past the lower edge of the card without interference from the latter. This enables the web to be fed uninterruptedly at a constant rate without hindrance from the card just formed which may be moving at a slightly slower rate. Thus, exact synchronism in the rate of feed of the card and the web are made unnecessary. The automatic shifting of the card out of the plane of the web below is effected to some extent by the cutter blades I02 and I06 due to their overlap and to movement of blade I02 to the right (Fig. 6), as explained. The main mechanism for shifting the card transversely will now be described.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, and 9, located above the shearing devices is a card guiding structure comprising a pair of parallel vertically disposed fluted rollers H0. Each roller includes an upper section HM and a lower section IIOb, both sections of a roller being fixed to a shaft H2 which is journaled on the frame. The two sections of each roller have their flutes H in vertical alinement, so as to form linear continuations, one of another. The lower, entrance, ends of the flutes of each section are flared to facilitate entry of the card into the flutes. Helical interdental notches I I3 are cut in the ribs of the upper sections H0a for cooperating with worms H4 fixed to a horizontal continuously rotating shaft H5 which extends across the back of the fluted rollers. At one end, shaft H5 has a gear H6 operated by the driving means, As the shaft rotates, worms H4 thereon coact with notches II 3 to rotate the fluted rollers H0 in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 9.

Secured to the frame, between the rollers H0, is a flat vertically disposed guide plate II! which is inclined slightly to extend further forward at the upper than at the lower end.

The normal plane of feed of the web of card material through the feeding rollers I3, printing couple I4--I5, and the circular portions of elements I00 and N342 of the shear devices extends centrally of the fluted rollers H0. Flutes Il0c of each roller II 0 will, during rotation of the rollers, successively arrive at and then pass the normal plane of web feed. A pair of facing flutes IIOc, one of each roller, will thus be disposed momentarily along the normal plane of web feed. These two facing flutes are closest to each other at the plane of web feed, and then during continued rotation of the rollers, move forwardly and further apart in divergent directions. When the two facing flutes are closest to each other, at the plane of web feed, they are spaced apart, horizontally, the width of the web plus a slight clearance.

Now, as the web emerges a short distance above the shearing devices, the upper end of the web enters the two facing flutes H00 momentarily along the plane of web feed. As the web continues to move upwardly, before being sheared, the opposite sides of the web are moving within and upwardly along the pair of flutes which have received the web. This pair of flutes thus guides the web during its movement above the shearing devices. As rollers H0 rotate in divergent directions, the pair of flutes engaging the sides of the web move forwardly, thereby forcing the portion of the web above the shears forwardly. The flutes are deep enough to maintain their engage ment with the sides of the web during rotation of the fluted rollers through an angular distance slightly greater than the distance between successive flutes on a roller. At the beginning of the feed of the web portion along the facing flutes which have received the web portion, the latter is in the normal plane of web fed, and then as the web portion moves further upwardly along the flutes, it is shifted more and more forwardly by the flutes, For this reason, the guide plate I I1 is tilted forwardly at the upperend to maintain win-I VII guiding engagement with the web portion between. theflutes during the feed of the web portion along the entire length of the fluted rollers.

The guide plate- III thus prevents the web from bowing or curving rearwardly between the flutes.

, When the upper end of the web portion nears the upper ends ofthe fluted rollers, the shearing blades I 02 and. I06v begin shearing the web por- .tion to form an individual card T. The shearing of the web portion to form the individual card is completed when the upper end of the web portion has moved beyondthe upper ends of the fluted rollers. During the shearing operation, whilethe lower edge of the card is still being formed, the portion of the web which is to form the card and which is now above the shearing devices has been bent forwardly or to the right (Fig. 5) by the fluted rollers. Consequently, when the shearing operation is complete and there is nothing further to restrain the lower portion of the card just formed from moving forwardly to a position above the shear blade I02, the lower portion of the card snaps forwardly out of the normal plane of web feed, and the card thus straightens out, in a plane determined by the positions of .the flutesnow receiving the vertical sides of the card just formed. The lower edge of the card then restson a point of the shear blade I02, as indicated in Fig. 6, and as the blade continues its clockwise rotation, due to its engagement with the lower edge of the card it feeds the card upwardly. The sides of the card are still within the facing flutes which continue to guide the upward movement of the card and at the same time to further shift the card forwardly or to the right.

In the above manner, the card just formedis immediately shifted forwardly out of the normal plane of web .feed so as to avoid interfering with the slightly more rapid and continuous feed of the web portion now moving through the shear ing devices and overtaking the card, as indicated in Fig. 6. When the upper edge of the latter web portion reaches the lower ends of the fluted rollers, the pair of facing flutes IIOc following the ones guiding the last-formed card are in central position, in the plane of web feed, to receive the sides of the web portion. Thus, successive flutes IIOc of the rollers I I0 successively come into the plane of web feed to successively receive and guide the web as it moves above the shearing devices.

After the web has been cut to form the individual card and while it is being fed upwardly by the blade I02, gripping means come into play to grasp the card at opposite sides and to thereafter continue the feed of the card for a short distance. The card gripping means will now be described, with reference particularly to Figs. 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9.

Above each fluted roller section I I0a, the frame rigidly carries a bracket I20 for rotatably supporting a shaft I22 to extend transversely of the plane of the card T and inclined slightly upwardly towards the card. Mounted on shaft I22 is a yoke I23 which is integral with a gripper arm I23 to which is pinned, by a rivet I24, a co acting gripper arm I25 of thin spring steel. The rear end of arm I25 is forked to straddle shaft I22 and a tongue member I26 locks arm I25 to shaft I22 for common rotation, thereby indirectly locking yoke I23 and its arm I 23 to shaft I22.

Yoke I20 is pivotally connected to a dependent bar I21, the lower portion of which is slightly guided in the frame, and the lower end of which engages a cam I28 on shaft H5. A spring I29 connected to bar I2'I urges the bar downwardly towards cam I23. Cam I28 is so shaped as to rapidly reciprocate bar I21 which, in turn, oscillates yoke i23' and gripper arms I23 and I25. Since shaft H is continuously rotating, the gripper assembly is constantly oscillated.

Gripper arm I25 is formed at its free end with a V-shaped offset which may be considered as the gripping jaw I25. The inherent resiliency of arm I25 urges it constantly towards arm I23 to engage jaw I25 with the side of arm I23, to grip the card between them. In order to permit the card to enter freely between the jaw I25 and the adjacent gripping end of arm I23, arm I25 is held away from the side of arm I23 until the gripper assembly is about half-way through its rising stroke, or in the lower dotted position shown in Fig. 4. To effect this result, bracket I20 journals, below the gripper assembly and at right angles to shaft I22, a pivot I on which is mounted a gripper release lever I32. A hairpin spring I33 between the frame and the bot tom edge of release lever I32 urges the latter to rock counterclockwise (Figs. 6 and 7) until the rear end of the release lever abuts a ledge I34 of bracket I20. The forward end of lever I32 is bent to form an angular tip I which is in the path of movement of a tab I36 integrally formed with and projecting transversely from the springy gripper arm I25. In the lowermost position of the gripper assembly shown in full lines in Figs. 4 and 6, tab I35 is engaging the horizontal part of tip I35 and by such engagement is holding release lever I32 down in opposition to the urge of spring I 33 to move the lever I32 up. Also, the free side edge of tab I 36 is abutting the generally vertical part of angular tip I35, and because of this engagement, gripper arm I25 is held away grom gripper arm I23 to permit the upper end of the card to freely enter between jaw I25 and gripper arm I23. Now, as the gripper assembly rises. spring I33 causes lever I32 to rise with its tip I35 following and maintaining engagement with tab I36. During such engagement, the gripper arms I23 and I25 remain spaced apart to freely receive the card. Due to the arcuate path of tip I35, the latter gradually recedes from tab I35, permitting gripper jaw I25 to gradually move towards gripper arm I23 and to finally grip the card just before the gripper assembly reaches its mid-position, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. At this time also. the rear end of lever I32 strikes ledge I34 of bracket I20 and can rise no further. Tab I36 of arm I25 now departs from tip I35 of lever I32, and when the gripper assembly is at about the mid-point of its rise, the tab I36 is completely above the vertical part of tab I35 (see Fig. 4)

The card is now gripped at opposite sides and near its upper end by the two gripper assemblies, one above eachfluted roller. At the same time, the lower edge of the card is still on shear blade I02 which has'meanwhile been feeding the card upwardly after the shearing operation. Cam I28 is of such contour as to cause the gripper assemblies to initially rise at the same speed as the card is being elevated by shear blade I02. Thus, the upper portion of the card, which enters freely between the gripper arms when the latter are in their lower position follows the gripper arms at the initial speed of the latter and remains in position between the arms to be gripped thereby when they close at about the mid-point of their rise.

The gripper assemblies aftergripping the card accelerate their speed, thereby instantly withdrawing the lower edge of the card entirely above the locus of rotation of blade I02. This prevents the lower edge of the card from being bent by the shear blade I02 as it rotates rapidly past the plane of the lower portion of the card.

The gripper assemblies deliver the card to a rotary conveyor. Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 10, the conveyor comprises a wheel or drum I40 fast to a shaft I42 which rigidly carries a gear I43 meshed with the driving mechanism. The driving mechanism, acting through gear I43, continuously rotates drum I40. Spaced equal distances around the circumference of drum I40 are clips I44 (see also Figs. 6 to 8), each to clamp a card against the periphery of the drum. The forward end of each clip. is bent away from the drum to facilitate entry of a card into position between the drum periphery and the clip jaw. The clip I44 is pivoted to the rim of the drum by means of a wedge-shaped tip I44a at the rear end of the jaw I44 seating in a V-shaped bearing notch formed in the rim of the drum, there being enough play between the tip and its seat to permit the clip to rock about tip I441; relative to the drum. Ears I44?) of the clip straddle the sides of the drum rim and are connected to each other by a wire spring I45 (see Figs. 6 to 8.), the ends of which are bent to prevent the spring leaving the clip ears, and the central portion of which engages an inwardly facing annular rib I46 of wheel I40. Spring I45 is bowed by its engagement with rib I46 so as to tend through clip ears I442), to rock the clip clockwise about tip I44a, to engage the face of the clip with the drum periphery.

Shaft I42 of conveyor drum I40. is parallel to the general plane of movement of the web and of the last-formed card, and the drum is so located and of such size that the right hand are of travel of the drum. periphery (as viewed in Figs. 1, 6, '7, and 10) is substantially a continuation of the plane of the card being fed upwardly. by the intermediate delivery grippers I23-I25. Thus, the clips I44 will successively pass through the plane of feed of the card to reach a position for receiving a cardfrom the card delivery grippers.

Just prior to reaching the card receiving posi- 4 tion, the clip face is moved away from the periphcry of drum I 40'. For this purpose, each clip I44 has one of its ears I44b formed with an extension I43 for cooperating with the bottom of a horizontal lug I48 integrally formed at the upper end of a bar I43 fixed to the frame (see Figs. 4, 6, and 7). As the clip nears card receiving position, its extension I49 moves below lug I 48'. Then, as the clip continues to rise, the free, beveled end of the extension engages the bottom of lug I 43' and is thereby cammed to the right (Figs. .6 and 7) causing the clip to rock counterclockwise about pivot edge I44a against resistance of spring I45. As a result, the clip face is moved away from the periphery of the conveyor drum and to open position for enabling the upper end of the card to move between the clip face and the drum periphery. The clip remains open while it is moving through card receiving position and then as it continues to rise, extension I49 moves to the right along the bottom of lug I48 gradually permitting the clip to close. By the time the extension has ridden off the bottom of lug I48, as indicated in Fig. '7, the clip has closed and the face of the clip is gripping the card against the drum periphery.

AS has been explained previously, the pair of card delivery gripper assemblies I23--I25 gripped the last-formed card when about half-way along their ascending stroke. Asthe grippers continue to rise, the open clip I44 comes to card-receiving position, in which the space between the clip face and the drum periphery is directly above and in line with the central width of the card extending between the pair of gripper assemblies. Thus, as the card is fedupwardly by the gripper assemblies now moving through the upper half of their rise, the upper portion of the card, extending between the pair of spaced gripper assemblies moves into the space between the clip face and the drum periphery. The gripper assemblies continue to rise and move the card further along the clip face while the latter moves through and slightly past card-receiving position. The gripper assemblies gripped the card about half through their rise or when in the lower dotted position indicated in Fig. 4. After gripping the card, the assemblies continue to rise until they reach the upper dotted position. From the lower to the upper dotted line positions, the grippingends of the gripper arms I23 and I25 movev through an arc receding, from the sides of the card. Thus, while the grippers are rising and feeding the card upwardly, they are also slipping off the card. About half-way between the dotted positions shown in Fig. 4, the grippers have slipped entirely off the card. Before this happened, the clip has closed and clamped the card firmly against the drum periphery. When the grippers have completely slipped off the card, the latter is gripped only by the clip I44 and will then travel along with the clip which is moving counterclockwise in a. circular path.

As previously explained, the grippers I23-I25 when in lower, full line position (Fig. 4) are open and receive the upper part of the card at each side of the latter. Then while moving from the full line to the middle, dotted line, position, the grippers travel at substantially the speed of the card which is moving upwardly due to its own momentum. and the engagement. of its lower end with the rising knife blade I02. When the grippers grip the card, they start moving more rapidly so as to snap the card completely away from the path of knife blade I02. After gripping the card, the grippers feed it into the bite of a clip I44 and while so. doing move more rapidly than the clip so as to effectively advance the card further into the range of the clip face. Then the clip grips the card, and during the interval in which both the clip and the grippers I23-I25 grip. the card, the grippers moveat substantially the speed of the clip. The different speeds. of the grippers are obtained by properly shaping cams I23 which control the rise of the grippers.

As stated in the detailed description of the gripper assemblies, gripper arms I23 and I25 are mounted on a. shaft which is disposed, at an incline to the, plane of feed of the card. Thus, as the gripper assemblies rise, they move in a slightly inclined path, inclining rearwardly away from the card surface. The portion of the card below the grippers is being restrained at the sides by engagement with the pair of flutes IlBc guiding the card. Due, to rotation of the fluted rollers, these guide flutes are moving the card forwardly or to the right (Figs. 6 and 7). After grippers I23 and I25 grip the card, the flutes continue to shift the main part of, the card forwardly, but the upper part of the card now is constrainedby the grippers to move in the path traversed by the grippers. As the grippers move upwardly along an inclined path which recedes further behind the plane of the main part of the card the further the rise of the grippers continues, the upper part of the card above the fluted rollers is flexed rearwardly of the plane of the part of the card moving along the fluted rollers (see Fig. 7) The clip I44 receives the upper portion of the card from the grippers while this upper card portion is being flexed to the rear by the grippers. Then the clip I44 clamps the upper portion of the card intermediate the pair of spaced. gripper assemblies. The clip now moves forward or to the right (Fig. 7) in the same direction as that in which the main body of the card is being moved by the flutes I IIlc while the gripper assemblies continue their rise in an inclined path rearwardly of the clip. Consequently, before the gripper arms I23 and I25 release the sides of the card, they are flexing the sides of the upper portion of the card to the rear while the portion of the card intermediate the gripper assemblies is being moved forwardly both by the fluted rollers and the clip I44 and drum I40. As a result of this relative movement between the gripper assemblies and the clip I44, the upper portion of the card is bowed along its width, as indicated in Fig. 7. With the card thus bowed, the gripper assemblies reach a point of their upper arc of rise at which they slip off the sides of the card and release it. Immediately, the card unbows, as a result of which the sides of the upper part of the card snap forwardly out of the path of travel of the grippers. The flutes Ilflc are still engaging and continuing to move the lower part of the card forwardly while the upper part of the card is being moved forwardly by the clip I44. Consequently, after the grippers release the card and the card unbows, the entire card continues to move out of the path of descent of the grippers. Thus, the return, descending stroke of the grippers may follow the upward stroke immediately, without encountering or being interfered with by the card, all portions of which have now been removed from the path of travel of the grippers by the fluted rollers acting in conjunction with the clip I44.

During descent of the gripper assemblies, lug I36 of gripper arm I25 encounters angular tip I35 of release lever I32 and as the lug moves along the vertical side of tip I35, the latter forces the gripper arm I25 to the right (Fig. 6) away from gripper arm I23. After this, lug I36 engages the horizontal side of tip I35, so that for the rest of the down stroke of the gripper assembly, arm I23, through its lug I36, forces the lever I32 downwardly against resistance of spring I33. The parts are then in initial positions, ready to receive the card behind and following the one just delivered to the drum conveyor I40.

In above manner, the cards are delivered to the successive clips I44 of conveyor wheel I40 to be conveyed by them away from the card printing and severing section of the machine. The successive cards carried by clips I44 after rollers IIfla-IIIlb have released the sides of the cards and while along the upper right quadrant of the locus. of travel of the conveyor drum I40 hang down from the clips and lie in divergent planes. These planes diverge because the cards are gripped at different points of the drum to which the cards tend to lie tangent. Further, the cards are held. in divergent planes, positively spaced apart while they are pendant from the clips by engagement between the underside of one card with the outer face of the clip beneath the card and following the clip which is gripping the card at its upper end. While the cards are traversing the upper arc of the conveyor path, they are in generally horizontally directed positions, at which time they are held apart by engagement of one card with the upwardly turned end of the following clips. The cards continue counterclockwise with the conveyor drum I40. When they arrive at the left side of the locus of the conveyor wheel, the cards extend upwardly from their holding clips I44 (see Figs. 1, l1 and 13). While a card is thus standing vertically with its inner edge gripped by a clip, the clip extension I 49 rides onto an upper, inclined, surface of a block I60 which cams against the clip extension to rock the clip counterclockwise (as viewed in Fig. 11), thereby opening the clip slightly. The clip thus releases its grip on the lower end of the card, permitting the card to drop by gravity until the lower, inner edge of the card abuts the then upper edges of the clip ears I44b. In above manner, as a clip passes block I50, it opens sufficiently to permit the card to drop to a definite, predetermined, position on the clip. When the clip exten sion I49 rides off the upper inclined surface of block I60, the spring I45 recloses the clip to again clamp the lower end of the card. Thus, after the clips pass block I60, the cards are set in the clips in definite, similar predetermined, positions. The outer edges of the cards now ride along a curved plate I02 which prevents the cards, due to their weight, from flexing or bending downwardly about the clamped inner end, and maintains them substantially tangential relative to the periphery of the conveyor drum I40 and with their surfaces spaced apart.

The purpose of setting the cards in definite positions relative to their holding clips I44 is to cause each card to extend the same predetermined distance from the rim of the conveyor wheel I49 when the card arrives at a corner cli pin mechanism I (which need not be described herein) and. subsequently, at the stacking mechanism. After its corner is cut oil, the card continues downwardlv. with its outer edge riding along the incline of a guide plate [90 (see Figs. 1. 11. 13 and 14). The inner end of the card, held by a clip I44. has portions projectin horizontally to either side beyond the clip and the sides of the conveyor drum I40. as indicated in 8. While the outer end of the card is moving along plate I90, the right hand laterally projecting portion (as iewed in Fig. 8) of the inner or lower end of the card engages one of the ten equally spaced paddles I 92 of a disk I93 (see Figs. 11, 13, and 16). The hub of disk I93 is rotatably mounted on a stud I94 .fixed to the frame. Surrounding stud I94 between the frame and the adjacent end of the hub of disk I93 is a coil spring I95, the pressure of which prevents accidental rotation of the disk.

As a card moves with conveyor drum I40, past the corner clipper, the inner edge of the card meets a paddle I92 to rotate disk I93 one-tenth of a revolution counterclockwise (Fig. 11). Proiecting transversely from the side of disk I93 is a stud I97. At each revolution of the disk, stud l9'I rides under and past the free cam-shaped end. of an arm I9Ba of a bell crank lever I98 to rock the bell crank lever clockwise. The other arm I98b of the bell crank lever is bent at its upper end to form a lug I99 engaging one end of a push rod 200. The opposite end of rod 200 has an insulating tip engaged with a spring blade 202. Blade 202 carries one of the points of a switch 203, the other point being on a blade 204. When the bell crank lever is rocked clockwise, it pushes rod 200 to the right, against resistance of spring blade 202 to close switch 203.

In above manner, ten cards successively passing paddle wheel I93 effect a single revolution of the wheel, causing its stud I91 to cam lever I98 clockwise to move rod 200 to the right for momentarily closing a switch 203.

Switch 203 when closed energizes magnet 205 (see the circuit diagram, Fig. 25) for operating an ordinary Veeder counter 208 (Fig. 1) to add 1 to the reading of the counter. The total number of cards actually passing the wheel I93 is then obtained by multiplying the counter reading by ten.

As the card travels past disk I93, its rear long edge starts moving down in front of a vertical bar 209 secured to the frame (see Figs. 11 and 14). At this time, the left edge of the card is traveling along guide plate I90, the rear long side is traveling along bar 209, and its right end is gripped by a clip I44.

Before a card reaches a horizontal position, the clip carrying the card is released from the card and held released until the card drops by gravity into a stacker. The release of the clip from the card is effected by a stationary block 2I0 (Figs. 11 and 13) having an inclined cam surface 211 which meets the extension I49 of the clip, and cams the clip extension downwardly to rock the clip counterclockwise. This action of the clip frees it from the inner, or right hand side (Fig. 11) of the card. Extension I49 continues to ride along thecam surface of block 210 to maintain the clip released from the card until the clip completely departs in a horizontal direction from the right hand or inner end of the card. At the moment of release of the card, it's'clip 144 is passing through a slot 2I2' of avertic'al plate 2I2 (Figs. 11, 12, 13 and 14), and the card is substantially horizontal with its right hand edge, at either side of the clip, abutting the portions of plate 2I2 at opposite sides of slot 212'. Thus, as the clip continues its movement towards the right and passes freely through slot M2, the plate 2l2 positively prevents the card from following.

When the clip leaves the card, the latter drops, with its left, short, side edge (Figs. 11 and 14) guided by plate I90. its right edge by plate 2I2, and its rear long edge by bar 209 and a parallel bar 214 secured to plate 2I2. As the card falls along these guide elements, means are provided to aline the card in one direction by pushing the card towards the bars 209 and 2M to positively engage the rear long side of the card with the latter bars. This is done by means including a pair of flappers 2I5 (see Figs. 1, 11, and 14) secured to a shaft 2I6 (also see Fig. 12) journaled between plates I and 2I2 to extend parallel to the front of the bars 209 and 2I4. At its right end, shaft 215 rigidly carries an arm 2II, the lower end of which engages a face cam 2I0 mounted on the end of a shaft 220 journaled by spaced, parallel, brackets 22l secured to the plate 2l2. Shaft 220 extends at right angles to shaft 2I6 and at the end opposite face cam 2I8 is provided with a pulley 222 which is connected by a driving belt 223 to the pulley 224 fast to a shaft 225 (also see Fig. 3) of the driving train. During operation of the driving train, it acts through shaft 225, pulley 224, belt 223, and

pulley 222 to continuously rotate shaft 229. Face cam 218 on shaft 229 is thus repeatedly acting on arm 2H of shaft 2; to rock the latter shaft clockwise (Fig. 12) against resistance of a spring 226 connected to arm 21 1. The spring returns shaft 215 counterclockwise, during which time, flappers 215 on shaft 216 move towards the front long edge of the card to engage the card for pushing its rear long edge fiat against the alined surfaces of bars 299 and H4. Thus, fiappers 2|5 are continually, rapidly and repeatedly oscillated, being moved during one stroke under the influence of spring pressureby spring 226- towards the cards to move the cards into engagement with the faces of bars 209 and 2l4. In this manner, the cards are alined in the direction of their width as they drop into a pocket of a stacker table 230 (see Figs. 1, 2, 3, ll, 14, 15, 1'7 and 18).

The stacker table, for present purposes, has eight card receiving and stacking pockets. To form the eight pockets, the stacker table rigidly carries eight angle bars 23l, eight bars 232', and eight rods 233. Each pocket is defined by the bent face or wall 231a (see Figs. 14 and 1'7) of one angle bar for engaging the left, short, side of the card, the back of a wall 2311) of the following angle bar for engaging the rear long side of the card, a bar 232, and a rod 233.

When a stacker pocket is at the card receiving station, the bent wall 231a. of an angle bar 23f is in the same vertical plane as the vertical lower portion of guide plate 199 (see Figs. 14 and 23), and the wall 23-l'b of the following angle bar is slightly behind the vertical plane of guide bars 299 and 21-4 (also see Fig. 13) The lower end of guide plate I90 is cut away, as indicated in Fig. 23, to permit wall 23 la to move into position below the guide plate and into the plane of the guide plate and also to permit the wall 2310. to subsequently move freely past the guide plate. At the side of the cut away or recessed lower endof plate I90, the latter is formed with a depending projection 234 which extends vertically downward below the top of wall 231a. Thus, the lower portion of guide plate 199 and bent Wall 2310. occupy positions side by side in the same plane to engage the left, short, edge of a card (as viewed in Figs. 11 and 14) as the card drops into the stacker pocket.

As indicated in Figs. l3, l4, and 17, wall 23|b is cut away intermediately to accommodate the lower part of guide bar 299. This permits the portions of the wall 234?) at either side of the cut out portion to occupy p sitions at either side of bar 239.

As the cards drop along the defining elements of the pocket in receiving position, they are also alined lengthwise, at right angles to the direction in which they were alined by flappers 215. To aline the cards lengthwise, shaft 220 carries a peripheral cam 235 (Figs. 12, 13 and 14) engaged by the lug 236 formed at the rear of a plate lever 231 pivoted on a pin 238 mounted to plate 212. At its forward end lever 23'! rigidly carries a pad 239 which projects through a hole formed in plate 2 I 2 for the purpose of engaging the right hand, short side edges of the cards. Cam 235 positively rocks plate lever 23'! clockwise (Fig. 13) to retract pad 239 from the cards while a spring 249 connected to the plate lever returns the plate lever counterclockwise to engage the right hand edge of the cards for pushing them towards the left. Thus, the pad 239 is repeatedly and continuously oscillated and during its spring-impelled strokes intermittently strikes the cards to engage the left edges of the cards with the pocket wall 23 hr and the guide plate 199'. The card is thus alined in two directions at right angles to each other, in one direction byflappers 215 and in the other direction by pad 239. The cards: will thus be evenly stacked in each receiving pocket of the stacker table.

The cards as they stackup in the pocket located in receiving position, are supported by a platform comprising a pair of horizontal plates 242 and 243. (Figs- 1, 11., 14, and 17). Plate 243 is pivotally carried by plate 242 and is urged by a spring 244 connected to the two platesto remain in clockwise position (Fig. 14) against a stop pin 245 on plate 242.

Plate 242 is fastened to a carriage 246, at the lower end of the latter. The carriage 245 extends vertically and is divided to straddle a vertical rail 2.41 fixed to the frame. The carriage is mounted, through ball hearings, on. rail 24'! for vertical, slidable, movement. A coil. spring 248 extends vertically alongside carriage 246, and is connected. at its lower end to a bracket 2.49 fixed to the carriage and at its upper end to a rod 2511 threaded. in a block 25| secured to the frame. The rod. 259 may be. adjusted relative to block 25! to adjust the tension. of coil spring 248 and therebythe amount of. weight required to move the platform through its vertical stroke, from upper position, in. which the top of its carriage 246 is against a leather. bumper 252 to the lower position in which the platform is below the card supporting. surface of the table, as shown in Fig. 17.

Coil spring. 2.48 acts as. an automatic weight counterbalance and. stretches in accordance with the weight of a card stack on the platform plates 242 and 243. The weight of the card stack corresponds tothe number of cards in the stack. Initially, when the platform 242-443 is not loaded with any cards, the carriage and platform will be in uppermost positions under. the. influence of counterbalance spring 248. Then as the cards drop into the pocket in receiving position and onto the. platform, the weight of the cards will lower the platform against resistance of spring 248. When the stack has a desired number of cards, as determined by weight, the platform has been depressed to its lowermost position in which the plates 242 and 243, comprising the platform, lie below the surface of the stacker table.

Engaging the right side of carriage 246 is a roller 253 (see Figs. 11, 14 and 22) carried by the free end of an upright arm 254 secured to one end of a horizontal shaft 255. A spring 256 connected to arm 254 urges shaft 255 counterclockwise (Fig. 22) but this movement is normally limited by engagement .of roller 253 with the rightside of carriage 246'. When the weight of cards resting on platform 242243 has lowered carriage 248 to its lowest position (Fig. 17), then the top of the carriage side reaches roller 253. The roller thereupon ismoved by spring 256 above the top of the carriage side, resulting in the rocking of shaft 255: counterclockwise (Fig. 22).

Shaft 255 by its counterclockwise movement controls means to rotate stacker-table 23!! one step to move the-filled pocket away fromreceiving position and to bringthefollowing empty, pocket to the receiving station. The control by shaft 255 will now'be explained. Referring to Figs. 14 and 19, shaft 2553 carries a detent 269 which in the normal, clockwise, position of the shaft engages the. tail of a clutch pawl 261 to hold the pawl released from a tubular driving clutch mem- 

